Letter from Parliament - Jim Dobbin

Want to buy this photo?

Jim Dobbin MP

Friday in Westminster saw the meeting of the National Youth Parliament . Our young representative Jack Lofthouse from Cardinal Langley RC High School in Middleton is Rochdale Boroughs MYP or Member of the Youth Parliament. Jack has performed magnificently during his year in office. He has kept in touch with my London office and my constituency office on a number of issues and has a clear understanding of his role as a democratically elected representative. Jack met the Speaker of the House, John Bercow and I was able to arrange a personal chat with Jack and the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means, Lindsay Hoyle MP for Chorley, who is a personal friend. The occasion demonstrates that our young people have a healthy awareness of national and international issues. Congratulations to Jack on his performance as MYP and I encourage him and all young people to keep involved in the area of rights and responsibilities for the future.

The cutbacks in Local Government are about to hit constituents and families across the Borough and no-one is now in any doubt now that they will be harsh. The coalition government has sold the myth about the country’s deficit well. The general public have accepted it with hardly a murmur. The truth is that you are about to experience a barrage of unnecessary changes that will affect the poorer families and poorer pensioners and this will be perpetrated by our millionaire Prime Minister, our millionaire Chancellor and our millionaire Deputy Prime Minister. Why do they not tackle the disgrace of their fellow millionaires who keep their money in off shore tax havens? The Lib Dem Tory council will support the Government. We are all in this together is the slogan. Well count me out.

Despite the rhetoric emanating from No 10 and No 11, there is an alternative and many leading economists are saying so. Stimulation as opposed to cuts should be the policy. The small growth figures published recently were the results of the stimulus introduced by Alastair Darling which benefited the construction industry. Watch these growth figures disappear soon.

In their spending Review Briefing, Age UK breathed a sigh of relief after recent Government statements of reassurance. I suggest they do not breathe too deeply because I predict that when the Benefit system is reviewed , pensions, bus passes, winter fuel allowances eye tests and tax credits will all be in the melting pot. Nothing is protected from cuts under this regime.

Can I congratulate Woodlands Primary School on their annual report and the community success of their extended school activities. Tracy Liddells team is doing a great job.

I welcomed constituents Elaine and Ray Dutton and Brian and Elaine Barton to the House of Commons. Ray is a well known local community activist and they were having a few days break in London.